Barrel profiling

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

Mr. Shortgrass
You are correct, there is no way a manual machine will keep up with dedicated CNC or other specialty contouring systems, but it is my belief that anyone who calls themselves a gunsmith should be qualified to perform this service for their clients when it's needed it won't be profitable but sometimes it's what the client wants or needs, a little time spent on the lathe is good practice for those not confident in their abilities.

 

[Will Henry]

I am now kind of a hobbyist but I made my living at it for many years and still turn a few barrels. I don't turn as many from a blank as I once did but still do some and I alter most pre-contoured barrels to achieve desired balance on hunting rifles. I have two 1 5/16 blanks right now which are being contoured from the blank to have integral sight ramps machined thereon.
If I was twenty years younger, I would have a CNC machine set up for barrel work but that won't be happening. I'm stuck with using manual machines and files to do the work. I always tell people, that's not all bad because it takes me longer to screw something up so I might catch it before it's too late. WH

 

[shortgrass]

Mr. Shortgrass
You are correct, there is no way a manual machine will keep up with dedicated CNC or other specialty contouring systems, but it is my belief that anyone who calls themselves a gunsmith should be qualified to perform this service for their clients when it's needed it won't be profitable but sometimes it's what the client wants or needs, a little time spent on the lathe is good practice for those not confident in their abilities.

Tommy, I won't take on work that's not profitable! I have plenty of my own projects to work on if I have to work for 'peanuts'. I have been machining since 1974 (and no, not just sitting in front of a CNC!) I could taper a barrel. My lathe is equipped with a taper attachment. I had to taper a barrel in "Custom Alterations" when I went to gunsmith school ('93 grad from MCC, Troy, N.C.). It'll be cold day I except a barrel from a customer to contour at my shop! When pigs fly! Get my drift!!? I have (and always have had for the past 25yrs) plenty of profitable work to do.

 

[tobnpr]

but it is my belief that anyone who calls themselves a gunsmith should be qualified to perform this service for their clients when it's needed it won't be profitable

Like every one else, I often do extra work where I don't charge the customer.
With milsurps once a niche for me- I don't need to tell anyone here how that goes, starting with cosmoline...

But I would never, ever- take a job that I knew would be a loss. Call me a dick, but it's a business for me- and being able to put $$ in the bank for everything I do is the goal and is just as important as the smile on the customers' face (or the pictures of the one-hole targets sent in).

 

[Ramblerman]

I profiled a barrel once....once! Lol

 

[DaveTooley]

I think @DaveTooley posted a picture a while back of a dual hydraulic rest of some sort for profiling.

Harold Broughton took a lathe, disconnected the cross slide. Made a bracket that followed templates mounted to the back side of the bed. He used the compound to feed the tool in. Two air cylinders for a following rest and he was in business. Poor mans duplicator.

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

Tommy, I won't take on work that's not profitable! I have plenty of my own projects to work on if I have to work for 'peanuts'. I have been machining since 1974 (and no, not just sitting in front of a CNC!) I could taper a barrel. My lathe is equipped with a taper attachment. I had to taper a barrel in "Custom Alterations" when I went to gunsmith school ('93 grad from MCC, Troy, N.C.). It'll be cold day I except a barrel from a customer to contour at my shop! When pigs fly! Get my drift!!? I have (and always have had for the past 25yrs) plenty of profitable work to do.

 

[Phil Peterson]

dave, poor mans duplicator is mounting an existing barrel behind the lathe and following it with a dial indicator setting on the cross slide.

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

Okay Shortgrass if you read my post you would see that I am advocating anyone calling themselves a gunsmith be capable of producing actual gunsmith work, which I think you do quite well, it's obvious that you had some training and could contour a barrel if need be, I'm not telling you how you should run your business that's the great thing about America we're all free to make our own choices.
My choices have paid off greatly by retaining clients that spend a lot of money so lose a little bit on a job and gain it back in good will and dollars on the next.
Part of my frustration is people bringing in hacked work that comes from incompetent so called gunsmiths that have watched a video some where and have became an instant gun smith, these people have proliferated every where since the Chinese lathe has become so cheap and common place today
Have a great day

 

[Phil Peterson]

when this thread started it nearly an impossible job to do. Now has evolved to being just not profitable. I am sure everyone on this forum started by doing their own work before acquiring customers, which I have none of by the way. Why discourage a fellow from attempting a simple machine operation?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

If you have an acceptable machine, by all means. If you got a chinese 12x36 mounted to a good table we’re just trying to save you some heartache. Its not a simple machining operation- theres plenty of real machinists on here already that has done that one barrel.

 

[Stan Taylor]

If you have an acceptable machine, by all means. If you got a chinese 12x36 mounted to a good table we’re just trying to save you some heartache. Its not a simple machining operation- theres plenty of real machinists on here already that has done that one barrel.

I will say one thing I enjoyed reading all the idea's here but I won't get in this pissing match I guess I'm not much of a gunsmith I take the easy way out I hit start an Walla 5 minutes and I'm done.

 

[Ksracer]

I've done a couple of them, but both of my lathes have had 14" taper attachments. I used a carbide threading insert. With the sharp point and the tool holder turned so the leading edge was 90* to the direction of travel, there was very little radial tool pressure. .025 deep cuts, about 200 rpm, and an aggressive feed rate left a finish that was easy to polish out in the spinner and didn't chatter. It took about 2hrs to go from 1.250 straight to an M24ish countour and I was able to do other small jobs while it was cutting. I certainly don't make a habit out of it though.

 

[strobes]

If you have an acceptable machine, by all means. If you got a chinese 12x36 mounted to a good table we’re just trying to save you some heartache. Its not a simple machining operation- theres plenty of real machinists on here already that has done that one barrel.

Yes, Chinese 12x36 and here is the result. It took couple of trys to figure out position of steady rest, speed and feeds, but I'm happy as this is my first barrel I have done.

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

Yes, Chinese 12x36 and here is the result. It took couple of trys to figure out position of steady rest, speed and feeds, but I'm happy as this is my first barrel I have done.View attachment 1200463

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

Very nice work. glad you didn't get discouraged, you should be very proud of your work.

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

I will say one thing I enjoyed reading all the idea's here but I won't get in this pissing match I guess I'm not much of a gunsmith I take the easy way out I hit start an Walla 5 minutes and I'm done.

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

Stan, I'll bet you are quite capable of contouring a barrel on a manual machine if you needed to do one.

 

[strobes]

Very nice work. glad you didn't get discouraged, you should be very proud of your work.

Thank you, Sir. I'm stubborn, and can cross this from my list now. But seriously I have one more blank to do for a different rifle to hone my skills.

 

[AccelR8]

Me, profiling a barrel. My wife: "WHAT IS THAT NOISE?!!"

edit; not my lathe, just a picture I grabbed off the web.